Promoting E-Commerce between Russia and China

13 / 07 ‘16

On 13 July 2016 a roundtable discussion on E-Commerce Experience Sharing and Promoting E-Commerce between Russia and China took place as part of the Third Russia and China EXPO, this year hosted by Ekaterinburg, Russia. The roundtable discussion was co-organized by the Department of SME and competition development of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Russian Association of Electronic Trading Platforms (AETP) and China International Electronic Commerce Centre (CIECC).

The event is a follow-up on the dialogue launched last year during the Second Russia and China EXPO in Harbin, China, where a Conference on Cross-Border E-Commerce between the One Belt, One Road States was co-organized by the AETP and People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province.

Maxim Parshin, Director of Department of SME and competition development of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and Zhang Da Ming, Vice President of the China International Electronic Commerce Centre, were welcomed as the honored guests of the roundtable discussion.

On Russia’s side the discussion was moderated by Iliia Dimitrov, Ombudsman for E-Commerce and AETP Executive Director. Lu Jian Dong, Vice President of China International Electronic Commerce Co. Ltd, led the discussion on China’s side.

The event united representatives of public authorities, e-commerce commerce private sector, manufacturers and suppliers, representatives of logistics companies from both Russia and China.

The state of B2B, B2G and B2C cross-border e-commerce between Russia and China, development of Russia and China’s e-commerce within the One Belt, One Road concept, demand in promoting information and analysis platforms related to goods and services markets in Russia and China, development of practical infrastructure for e-commerce and harmonization of the relevant legislation and administrative regulation were top on the agenda.

«Today under e-commerce we understand a tool facilitating economic integration, ensuring progressive trading relations, reducing trade-related costs. This is of importance for the economies of both Russia and China, and it is essential for us to create a favorable environment for cross-border electronic trade between our countries. Further to this, the e-commerce may be viewed as a step towards Electronic Economy, or Internet-Economy, which concept is used by our colleagues in China. This is a new model of economic development and prognosis, which shall directly affect the speed and accuracy of decision-making and shall determine the new age economic reality», Iliia Dimitrov commented in his welcome to the event guests.

The guests from China shared their business experience in B2B and B2C e-commerce. According to Sun Tian Shu, President of «Qi Fa» Cross-border Electronic Trading Platform, it is the B2B e-commerce that shall be developed in the long run, as it will be domineering in the commodities market. Mr Sun also added, that the cross-border e-commerce will transform all the ecosystem of traditional trade relations, i.e. logistics, financial transactions and credit systems. Direct delivery shall become a reality for delivery addresses with complex logistics, while new financial models for cross-border e-commerce shall allow payments in national currencies reducing the conversion costs. «Internet has changed the world. The e-commerce will change the form and the structure of economic relations. Intelligence shall also be important for both e-commerce and economy development, as ours is the era of the knowledge society», said Sun Tian Shu.

«Today every entrepreneur shall be able to participate in e-commerce without leaving its own place of domicile», Konstantin Mikhailenko, AETP Director for Development, emphasized when speaking on Solutions for Enhanced Efficiency of E-Commerce between Russia and China. «The Seldon software solutions may offer a convenient tool to reach this goal. Transparency and easy access to the relevant information about Russian businesses, along with the innovative linguistic technologies, may have an important positive effect on the cross-border e-commerce», said Konstantin Mikhailenko.

Igor Zubov, Vice President for Logistics & International of National Distance Selling Association, shared a positive view on the prospects of increase in online B2C sales from Russia to China. «An important mission for Russia at the moment is to raise awareness of the Russian market with the customers in China and to create a positive image of the Russian goods and services», emphasized Igor Zubov.

The roundtable discussion participants assessed the event as a good forum for promoting cross-border e-commerce cooperation between Russia and China. The experts agreed to further cooperate to facilitate cross-border e-commerce between Russian and Chinese businesses.